Vigilance from residents and fast-acting police work resulted in the arrest of six suspected business robbers on Thursday.
Estcourt police received a tip-off about two suspicious-looking vehicles, a VW Golf and a bakkie, that were seen in the central business district late in the evening.
ALSO READ: Robbers target Connor Street businesses
Police went to the two locations that the vehicles were spotted in and discovered three occupants in each vehicle.
“A search of one of the vehicles, a VW Golf, yielded an unlicensed revolver, ammunition, gas bottles used with cutting torches, gloves and balaclavas. The three occupants aged 33, 35 and 47 were arrested. While in the second vehicle, a bakkie, two unlicensed pistols, ammunition, a ladder, crow bar and bolt cutter were found. The three occupants aged 35, 44 and 40 were arrested,” explained police spokesperson Captain Charmaine Struwig.
These recoveries have led police to believe that the men had the intention of breaking into businesses in the CBD.
Police are also investigating the possibility that the six men may have committed other crimes in the area.
ALSO READ: Clamp down on crime in the CBD
The men appeared in the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court on Monday. They face charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, as well as the possession of housebreak-in implements.
Click to receive news links via WhatsApp. Or for the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
